Rotherham United: Millers promise January spending

Paul Davis

Rotherham United will spend in the January transfer window even if they don’t have a new permanent manager in place, chairman Tony Stewart has pledged.

Fitness coach Paul Warne and former assistant boss John Breckin are in temporary charge as the Millers begin their hunt for a successor to Kenny Jackett who quit the club after just 39 days in charge.

Paul Warne

If their spell at the helm runs into the New Year, it will be no barrier to the Championship’s bottom club bringing in new players.

“We’ve already, pre-Jackett and with Jackett, looked at names. We’ve got a long list of potential players,” Stewart told The Star.

“It has been analysed what the gaps are, where needs to be filled and what type of player we want. Paul Douglas (chief operating officer) has already been on the phone to clubs and agents in preparation for the window. We are spending in January.”

Rotherham’s new head of recruitment, who is working his notice at his present employers, will be in place when the window is open.

The Millers are 13 points adrift of safety after some poor summer recruitment by former boss Alan Stubbs, who was sacked after 13 league games, and Stewart is determined to start righting the wrongs of the Liverpudlian’s regime.

He and the board are drawing up a six-man shortlist after receiving nearly 50 applications and interviews are expected to begin in the next fortnight.

“We are trying to improve and that will never stop,” Stewart said. “Where we are today - and we, as a board, take responsibility - is because we allow managers to get in the players that they see fit. There is no suggestion that any of the board ever proposes players.

“What we will have in January is a third party (head of recruitment) who will be able to analyse players on behalf of the club and guide us.”

“What we have decided is that we would like players who are going to be with us for two, three or four seasons. I’m not putting an age on them. Soon mature soon, some later.

“I don’t want a season-by-season fix. We’ve had that too many times. We’ve had it for the last three years and it’s got to stop. January will be about making sure that we’ve got a team that can compete in the Championship.”

The club haven’t ruled out one day turning land at Brinsworth into a new training base, but they plan to remain at their Roundwood headquarters for the foreseeable future because they believe improvements can be made faster at their present leased home.

The site lacks Championship-standard changing and gym facilities, but the two pitches are immaculate.